Chronic stress may lead to abdominal fat deposition, a large risk factor for cardiovascular disease, via dysregulation of the hypothalamic- pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This project is designed to assess whether those with a background of life stress have more abdominal fat deposition, and whether their HPA axis responds differently to a repeated laboratory challenge. The results of this study will contribute to our understanding of the effect of chronic stress on physiological functioning and health outcomes.